Lisa Sorlie, district library media specialist for the Bonduel School District, spent part of her summer investigating the key challenges of making sustainable biofuels.

Sorlie, of Green Valley, participated in the Research Experience for Teachers program hosted by the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Wisconsin Energy Institute.

Sorlie spent seven weeks at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus working alongside GLBRC scientists. While immersing herself in biofuel research, she also developed instructional materials that will provide her students with the experience of investigating similar scientific questions in the classroom.

Sorlie scrutinized various yeast species for the Yeast Exploration and Analysis Science Team. Yeasts, which help convert plant sugar to fuel, are key to biofuel production.

She will return to Bonduel with a variety of instructional materials related to yeasts and advanced biofuels.

Catholic schools have long been at the center of Alex Wolf’s life. The Waukesha native has joined the staff of St. Anthony’s Catholic School in Oconto Falls as its elementary school principal and religious education director.

“We’re very excited to have Alex here,” said the Rev. Joel Sember, pastor of St. Anthony’s, Holy Trinity and St. Patrick’s churches. “He brings a varied background and a lot of youth and enthusiasm, and quite a bit of classroom experience as well.”

Wolf attended Catholic schools from first grade through college then taught six years at Catholic high schools, making him more than familiar with the Catholic school atmosphere.

“Where I came from, the Catholic school provided a safe haven for the kids and a loving environment,” he said. He said a Catholic school education also teaches things not found in a public school setting.

Washington Middle School is under new leadership for the 2016-17 school year.

Principal Stephanie Landreman joined the staff in June, replacing Lou Hobyan, who retired, and Tony Logue was named the assistant principal/curriculum director last month after Lucas Cromell resigned.

“We’ll make a really good team,” Landreman said Aug. 31, the day before school opened. “Together, and with the rest of our staff, we can move mountains.”

Logue said he and Landreman had developed a synergy in just the few short weeks they’ve known each other.

“We’re both very student-centered. We’re both big on building relationships. We’re both a little bit goofy,” he said.

Landreman, previously a teacher and dean of students for the Seymour Community School District, said she was familiar with Oconto Falls because both school districts compete in the North Eastern Conference.

What do a concession stand and a credit union have in common? At Oconto Falls High School, a renovated classroom will be a credit union by day and a concession stand by night — with a school store yet to come.

A ribbon cutting was held Aug. 31 in a little-used classroom converted into a concessions stand and school credit union.

The concession stand, located across from the field house, officially opened Thursday for a home volleyball game, one of an estimated 40 indoor events in which food and refreshments will be served from the former math classroom.

With the transition to one-to-one technology, which puts a computer device in the hands of every student, an OFHS computer lab was closed. Once a math classroom was moved to the defunct lab, space was available for the renovation.

Members of the Gillett School Board interact with students in the garden area developed behind Gillett Elementary School through the Seeds 2 Service program. Through the program, students learn to grow and harvest their own food, then use it to prepare healthy meals.

Members of the Gillett School Board broke from their monthly meeting Thursday night to visit the garden behind the elementary school. Seeds 2 Service created the garden, where students learn about growing and harvesting their own food, plus how to cook the food and plan healthy meals.

The program got its start in 2013, buoyed by $70,000 in grant funding. In the first years of the program, students made raised beds from kits, hauled dirt and mulch, and planted the seeds.

Awards were presented July 21 at the Gillett School Board meeting to local businesses that partner with the Gillett High School Transition Program.

Receiving awards were Sunshine Child Center, the Gillett Public Library, Earthaven Museum, Woodland Village Nursing Center, the Gillett School District­­ and Howl’in Grooming and Training.

While participating in the transition program, high school students work on job sites to learn valuable information from mentors in the field. Representatives at each job site complete an evaluation of the student at the end of the job, providing feedback to the students and school staff.

The students are on the job three days a week and in the classroom twice a week.

Oconto Falls School Board President Ron Leja, center, and tech ed teacher David Heisel read the certificate to be presented to Oconto Falls High School student Jeffery Blazer. Blazer won first place in the state SkillsUSA motorcycle service technology contest this spring and competed at the national contest in June.

A solid understanding of small engine mechanics carried Jeffery Blazer to the top spot in the state SkillsUSA motorcycle service technology contest this spring.

A lack of expertise specific to motorcycles prevented him from replicating that success at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference last month. The Oconto Falls High School senior placed 19th out of 29 competitors at nationals, held from June 22-23 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Blazer said he can’t wait to try again next year, after he enrolls in the yearlong motorcycle fundamentals class at OFHS and learns more of the skills he was asked to perform in the contest.

“I had never done 90 percent of the stuff they had me do,” he admitted.

He said lacing a wheel was the hardest part of the contest. He also replaced wheel bearings and removed and replaced a wheel in the skills portion of the contest, participated in an interview and took a written test.

Two Suring FBLA members attended the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference from June 29-July 2 in Atlanta, Georgia. Jadyn Stuart represented Wisconsin as a member of the 2016-2017 state officer team, and Rylee Holub competed in the Computer Game & Simulation Programming event.

The conference offered members the opportunity to hear national speakers, attend a variety of workshops, compete in business-related events and network with members from across the country.

Stuart’s duties included helping to lead the state meeting, attending the Institute for Leaders and representing Wisconsin in a variety of ways throughout the conference.

Holub’s event included 90 teams from across the country. Before the conference began, Holub submitted a game he created. At the conference, he told a panel of judges how he created his game. He was not selected as a finalist.

Students entering grades 1 through 12 are encouraged to audition for the Missoula Children’s Theatre production of “Rumpelstiltskin.” Auditions will be held from 9-11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1, in the Falls Area Performing Arts Center.

Students auditioning should arrive by 8:45 a.m. and plan to stay for the full two hours. Some of the cast members will be asked to stay for a rehearsal immediately following the audition. All rehearsals will be held in the PAC and the choir room at Oconto Falls High School.

“Rumpelstiltskin” will be presented at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, at the PAC.

Among the roles to be cast are Rumpelstiltskin, Queen Beatrice, Clara, a jester, King Whatsat, villagers, gnomes, wizards, knights and bees. No preparation is necessary. Assistant directors will also be cast to aid in rehearsals throughout the week and to take on essential backstage responsibilities.